Automotive seat assemblies typically include a seat frame, a foam cushion, and a trim cover material for covering the cushion and frame. The trim cover may be secured to the seat in a number of ways. Some current methods of attachment include steam heating, chemical bonding, electric heating, mechanical fasteners and/or drawstring fasteners.
The drawstring fasteners typically include a drawstring cord slideably retained within a hollow sheath. The sheath is a long rectangular piece of fabric that is folded over the cord and then sewn together to form a long hollow tube. The sheath is then in turn sewn to the trim cover. The trim cover, along with the sheath and the cord, is wrapped around the cushion and a portion of the frame. The cord is then secured to the frame which tightly secures the cushion and the trim cover to the frame. Specifically, a user pulls on the cord which typically cinches the sheath and tightly secures the trim cover to the seat. These components and this type of seat assembly are well known by those skilled in the art. This current design, however, has a number of deficiencies.
Manufacturing the sheath/cord assembly and then attaching the sheath to the trim cover is time consuming, expensive, and labor intensive. In addition, the cord may not slide easily within the sheath, especially if the sheath is more than a few inches long. The frictional forces created between the cord and the sheath can be difficult to overcome without damaging or deforming the sheath.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved drawstring cord design that eliminates the use of a sheath while still allowing the cord to be slidably retained against the trim cover. In addition, the design should substantially minimize any frictional forces created by the cord.